Dolphins @ Jets
Final Score: Dolphins 24, Jets 17
Writer: Callen Elslager (@callen_elslager on Twitter and Reddit)
In the battle of AFC East basement dwellers, the Miami Dolphins pulled out a 24-17 victory thanks to the return of a healthy Tua Tagovailoa, as the Dolphins offense continues to take steps in the right direction. Tagovailoa’s work with Myles Gaskin and Jaylen Waddle was too much to handle for the Jets and their third different starting quarterback of the season, Joe Flacco. Even with an eventual injury to Michael Carter, it wasn’t all bad for the Jets’ offense as Elijah Moore continues to show off what made him such a highly-touted prospect during draft season with another 100-yard game, keeping the Jets in the game until late in the 4th quarter.
Miami Dolphins
Quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa: 27/33, 273 yards, 2 TD, INT | 3 carries, 6 yards
Tua Tagovailoa took advantage of the matchup with the Jets defense with one of his best games of the season on Sunday. The Jets were unable to put much pressure on him throughout which gave him plenty of time to find his open receiver downfield. In his best game of the season, we saw no lingering effects from the finger injury which kept him out the prior two weeks. His two touchdown passes included one deep bomb perfectly located to Mack Hollins and a screen down at the goal line for Myles Gaskin. His lone interception was an ugly one on a ball overthrown for his intended target and right into the hands of the Jets’ receiver.
.@Tua ➡️ @mackhollins for 6⃣5⃣! TOUCHDOWN!
📺: Watch #MIAvsNYJ on @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/1OrfVTMrc5
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) November 21, 2021
Running Back
Myles Gaskin: 23 carries, 89 yards | 4 targets, 3 receptions, 7 yards, TD
Duke Johnson: 4 carries, 18 yards
Patrick Laird: 1 carry, 4 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 5 yards
Myles Gaskin put together his best day on the ground of the entire season against the struggling Jets’ defense on Sunday, breaking into open space as the offensive line gave him plenty of room to work. After multiple stops at the goal line, his fantasy afternoon was saved with a dump-off on third and goal, taken in for the touchdown to give Miami the lead. With Malcolm Brown and Salvon Ahmed out for the game, it allowed for Gaskin to maintain the clear lead in the backfield, with Duke Johnson and Patrick Laird coming in and spell him when he needed a rest, though Laird did see his lone target down in the red zone.
.@Tua connects with @MylesGAS for 6️⃣! ⛽️
📺: Watch #MIAvsNYJ on @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/E2aGlZgC4n
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) November 21, 2021
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Mack Hollins: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 72 yards, TD
Jaylen Waddle: 9 targets, 8 receptions, 65 yards | 1 carry, 1 yard, TD
Mike Gesicki: 6 targets, 5 receptions, 50 yards
Durham Smythe: 5 targets, 4 receptions, 37 yards
Adam Shaheen: 1 target, 1 reception, 19 yards
Albert Wilson: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 18 yards | 1 carry, -3 yards | 0/1
Mike Gesicki bounced back after last week’s goose egg for a solid game, returning back to the good graces of fantasy managers and Dolphins’ fans everywhere. He helped to extend drives and keep the ball in Miami’s hands, including getting work down in the red zone. Along with Gesicki, Jaylen Waddle continues to impress as the lead receiver in this offense, getting open in space, while the offense continues to find creative ways to get the ball to him. Along with some targets down in the red zone, Waddle found his way into the end zone on a carry from the one-yard line as they lined him up in the backfield.
.@D1__JW for SIX. 🙌
📺: Watch #MIAvsNYJ on @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/VVUbh5yUAE
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) November 21, 2021
New York Jets
Quarterback
Joe Flacco: 24/39, 291 yards, 2 TD | 2 carries, 3 yards
The stat line may be a bit misleading for Joe Flacco, as even though he did not throw an interception there were several passes throughout the game that looked as if they would be picked off as they were batted away by Miami defenders. The Dolphins were putting some good pressure on him throughout and Flacco did the best he could to get the ball out quickly. A prime example of this pressure was a strip-sack down in the red zone as the defense popped Flacco, forcing the ball loose and into the arms of the Miami defender. Flacco did throw two touchdowns, one to a wide-open Jamison Crowder in the end zone on fourth and goal, and the other assisted by Elijah Moore sprinting down the field after the catch as part of his sixty-yard touchdown.
Went for it.
Got it.#MIAvsNYJ on CBS pic.twitter.com/qT5DFfM8fQ
— New York Jets (@nyjets) November 21, 2021
Running Back
Michael Carter: 9 carries, 63 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 2 yards
Tevin Coleman: 5 carries, 16 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 2 yards
Ty Johnson: 1 carry, 5 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 8 yards
Nick Bawden: 1 target, 1 reception, 20 yards
Once again, Michael Carter was looking extremely spry and breaking off some long rushes and was on his way to another very nice afternoon. Unfortunately, Carter would leave the game in the third quarter and would not return with what the team described as an ankle injury. After he left the game, Tevin Coleman took over the role as the lead back, but did not see as much work as the Jets switched themselves to a pass-first offense and put the game more in the hands of Joe Flacco than the run game. While Ty Johnson came in to spell the backs from time to time, that would more often than not occur in passing down situations rather than getting the carries as Coleman would.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Elijah Moore: 11 targets, 8 receptions, 141 yards, TD
Jamison Crowder: 7 targets, 6 receptions, 44 yards, TD
Ryan Griffin: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 39 yards
Corey Davis: 7 targets, 3 receptions, 35 yards
Keelan Cole: 1 target
Braxton Berrios: 1 target
Arguably the most impressive player on the field Sunday was Elijah Moore, as he continues to show off what made him such a highly touted player coming out of the NFL draft. He showed off his hands and his speed all on one play with a slant pass caught over the middle as he then bursted off into open space and the end zone for a 60-yard catch and run, one of the highlights of the entire day in the NFL. He continues to rise up the Jets’ depth chart, becoming the clear top target and receiver with an immediate connection with Joe Flacco, who had glowing remarks for him after the game.
Ladies and gentlemen, @e_moore03.#MIAvsNYJ on CBS pic.twitter.com/rSgVrv0qs3
— New York Jets (@nyjets) November 21, 2021
Jamison Crowder was a very viable safety blanket for Flacco on Sunday, mostly on short dump-off receptions and on third-down conversions. Among his receptions was the touchdown shown earlier on fourth and goal, as he broke wide open in the end zone for the touchdown. In the same sense, the Jets tried to get Corey Davis involved with some shots downfield, but the Dolphins did a great job of locking him up in man coverage and not allowing for these sorts of plays to be made. This then forced Flacco to turn to other targets such as the aforementioned Jamison Crowder and Ryan Griffin, who was productive over the middle.
— Callen Elslager (@callen_elslager on Twitter and Reddit)